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Putin in Tehran, Brushes Off Reported Assassination Plot


Iranian state media say Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tehran, despite the threat of a reported plot to kill him during the visit.

Mr. Putin, who became the first Kremlin chief to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, arrived in Tehran's Mehrabad airport Tuesday.

Earlier, Mr. Putin downplayed the threat, saying that if he paid attention to every threat and recommendation of his security services, he would never leave home.

Russian news agencies reported Sunday that suicide attackers in Iran may try to assassinate the Russian leader.

Iran's Foreign Ministry called the reports "baseless."

Mr. Putin is to hold talks Tuesday with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and attend a summit of nations bordering the Caspian Sea.

Russian officials say the Iranian nuclear issue will be high on the agenda for bilateral talks during Mr. Putin's visit.

The Russian president traveled from Germany, where he held two days of talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Wiesbaden.

Ms. Merkel warned that Iran could face new sanctions if it continues to resist Western demands for transparency in its nuclear program.

But Mr. Putin called for patience and negotiations with Iran to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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